Foreign Minister: Indonesia

Indonesia: In his election campaign Tony Abbott, Australias new prime minister, promised more Jakarta, less Geneva i.e., more of a focus on Asia and bilateral ties, less of one on historic Western links and multilateral bodies. So it was important that he fulfilled his promise to make his first foreign trip in office to Indonesia, Australias closest neighbor, according to The Chronicle Herald. Abbotts visit this week to Jakarta, Indonesias capital, accompanied by his foreign minister and a business delegation, was never going to be plain sailing, however. Not only had his opponents made much of his alleged ignorance about foreign affairs and the flat-footed simplifications with which he summed them up, but also he had riled Indonesian leaders with his approach to the one foreign-policy issue that loomed large in the campaign: how to handle the thousands of asylum-seeking boat people from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and elsewhere heading for Australian shores more than 18,500 in 250 boats so far this year. Most use Indonesia as a staging post. Thirty-six asylum-seekers lost their lives at sea shortly before Abbotts visit and He also probably needed to do so before attending the annual meeting of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group in Bali on Oct. 7-8. Of all multilateral talking-shops, APEC struggles most to justify its existence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.